Laughing through the changes and accepting what life has for me after retirement. My elevator might be going down, but I plan to get off on every floor, even if it's just for plumbing supplies.

Tuesday, February 4, 2014

To Keurig or not to Keurig

Digging out from the snow most days lately, but I am doing OK.I love the smell of coffee, but have never enjoyed its taste. I learned at an early age how to perk a good pot for my parents, but after tasting it, I decided to stick to milk. My mom also had a rule that children should not drink this caffeinated drink until they were of a certain age, and it was always assumed it was when we moved out of the house. Being Irish Americans, we were allowed to drink decaf tea when we reached 12, and that has been my drink of choice since then. Hubby also does not drink coffee, although in the past few years he does have a cup at work when he gets there in the morning. We have happily gotten along without a coffee pot taking over precious space on our counter top for 46 years. However, when our children left home, three of them went to the caffeine well and became junkies. I broke down and bought a small coffee maker that I keep on a shelf in the basement, only to be taken out during the holidays. Any other time the unwritten rule is, if you want it, bring it with you.Then Keurig became the next big thing and everybody had to have one. I just dismissed it when friends showed me theirs and gushed over it ad nauseam. "See, Arleen, it makes tea also" they would say. With my old lady attitude, I would say, "I've got a kettle for that." Eyebrows would raise and they would walk away probably talking about what an old fart I was.In November, hubby made a quick run to the store to get some butter and came home with a large box. He had this guilty smile on his face and presented me with a Keurig. I sent him for butter and he came home with a big, expensive coffee maker. I was not happy and the shock on my face when he told me how much it cost turned his smile into a frown. He gave me all his reasons for buying it ( it was on sale) and because I felt somewhat bad about my negative reaction, I relented. He placed it on the counter and set about making some fancy brew. He is happy, my family is happy and they are all wired happily together. Things could be worse. Maybe, when no one is looking, I will make myself some hot chocolate on that machine - but I will never tell.

How sweet of your hubby to buy that for you and your home. I prefer to buy whole beans, usually organic, and grind them right before making coffee. So no Keurig for us. And like you I have a kettle for tea.

Reminds me of early on in our marriage, when after target shooting one day, my hubby told me he was gonna get me a lightweight plastic-stocked rifle for Christmas. I just looked at him for a sec, and then said, "Fine. You do that. And I'll get YOU a new sewing machine."

It must be your Irish genes that lead you to prefer tea! My late Irish mother-in-law lived on the stuff. I like tea and coffee but never have more than two caffeinated drinks a day. When in the States or Canada we never got tea made the English/Irish way except at the home of relatives. Although Keurig is available in the UK they are rare. CLICK HERE for Bazza’s Blog ‘To Discover Ice’

No amphibians were hurt in the taking of my header picture. The frog is not crazy, but I may be. It is a lawn ornament peaking through the snow. It symbolizes all of us on the east coast who are screaming, "Get me out of this snow."

I also prefer hot chocolate, but we're the minority. In our defense, I read that two cups of hot chocolate a day help boost memory. I would also compromise and put chocolate in my coffee when no one was looking.

Boil the kettle, fill the tea pot, etc. Nothing complicated with that, and you can have just about whatever tea you like. I tried making coffee at home, but I just couldn't get accustomed to it. The only place I drink coffee now is at church, first thing in the morning on Sunday. Strange, that; very strange.

I love my coffee machine. I bought it a couple of years ago and have never regretted doing so. I don't drink a lot of coffee. I'm not one for having cups of coffee all day long. I only have one cup a day, most days, that is. Sometimes, I might have a second cup.

I don't drink a lot of tea, either. I have runs on tea-drinking - I get the taste for it and that might last a few days...and then I'll go for months without having another cup.

Laughing--- no one tells a story as good as you do!! I'm with you- I'm not sold on them. I love coffee- but I'm a coffee snob. We have a keurig at work/ and I think the coffee is horrid. But I could probably do the hot tea choice-- but then a microwave can do that!!

Most peeps I know love coffee, and me too.Meanwhile - what on Earth is staring at me from your banner??? It looks like some kind of alien snow lizard. If I saw that outside my door, I'd never leave my home. :O

I love, love, LOVE that header picture. I imagine a lot of folks around the country feel exactly like that little fella.

I toyed with the idea of buying one of those gadgets, but decided against it. Our friends in NC have one, and it was pretty nifty, but they drink a lot of coffee. Doesn't make economical sense for us. Hubby drinks one cup of decaf a day, and I drink tea... or occasionally coffee... one cup at a time as I see fit. We don't even have coffee-drinking visitors frequently enough to make it worthwhile. So, I reckon this Next Best Thing will pass me by. (Besides, I'd miss my whistling teapot...)

My family are over often and they (including their young ones) love coffee and anything that the Keurig can make so I guess it was worth the cost. I had a Superbowl party of 20 something people last Sunday and it came in handy. At the beginning of the second half, everybody switched to coffee. Of course, that might be because the game was such a snooze.

It's best not to send a man shopping. Give him a list and he'll come back with something else, ha ha ha. Did hubbie bring home the the butter? Or was he sent back with his tail between his legs? ha ha ha.

I love my coffee although I don't drink it as much as I use to. That machine would fit in very nice with my kitchen. Black, silver, stainless steel, yes yes yes. I think you know where I'm going with this......... :)

Very true, RPD. He usually comes home with less expensive things though. This time he outdid himself. Yes, he did get what I sent him for. He knew he had to butter me up before he gave me his surprise?

Dear Arleen, oh, hot chocolate! I had some on Saturday when I stopped at the QT filling station just up the block. Like you, I don't drink coffee--haven't for 30 years--but I do drink tea. And like you, I just heat the water and make the tea. No excuse for a Keurig. But oh that hot cocoa sounds good. Still, it's just another small appliance to put away somewhere or have cluttering the counter top. I think you and I are alike in this: less is more. Peace.

We start the day with hot chocolate made from pure cocoa, milk and honey. I find the keurig irritating. I don't have one but my in laws do. It seems we are always waiting in line for our turn at it in the morning. Then the water well is empty and so on and so on. Give me a pot of tea any day.

Hi. I just happened on your blog while commenting on someone elses. It's nice to meet you. I had to stop and read it because I recently bought a the same machine - ha ha - and I don't drink coffee either. But it sure is nice when you get company and don't want to fix an entire pot of coffee.

I still make coffee with a melita filter, one cup at a time when it's just me and I have a bigger coffee maker for guests. I have debated getting a Keurig, but it seems a little pricy and I'm trying not to buy any more small appliances. I'll probably break down one day and get one. They're so easy to use.

My Story, as of now

It's been six years now since I retired and you would think I would be through the "adjustment period". Some days I am, and others I am not. I like to think I have reinvented myself, however, rust keeps appearing around the edges. Aging is a surprise to me as I thought I would always be young. But life moves on and as I plod forward, I find that there are many more adventures and joys to be had. They just may take a little more effort to find, but heck, I have the time.